South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-09-30
A cRAcKsMAN's WORK
I. Il. c. PANCAKES SAFE
BLOWN OPEN!
Tea Dollars in Cash, Pocket
Knives. Hats, Gloves
Aud Cigars
Taken.

Great EXCITEMENT was caused in
this plsce early Friday IN ,rnins of
last week, when it was discovered
that crime had been com uitted
here which, SO far as we can remem =.
Der. has no parallel in the history of
he town-namely, the robbery of L.
II. G. Pancakes store.
At about a. N. OF the day named,
Messrs. o. L. High and J. L. Buzz :
Earl. clerks for Mr.. Pancake. went
to the store as usual. finding the door
closed, end everything, apparently.
all right. Ga entering. however. it
was found that the door had been
kept shut by several bolts OF calico
which had been placed on end on the
h>or SO as TO lean against it and
close il. Further inves tigation re.
vealed the fact that it had been pricd
open, The catch Of the lock being
torn off, AID the prints Of the instru.
men used to effect an entrance being
plainly visible in the wood close to
the lock. Going into the office. the
door OF the large fire-proof safe was
found lying o. the floor, the contents
OF the safe being intact except that
there was no moaey in it. Mr.. PAN
cake having been sent for. a closer
examin alton WAS then made, when it
vas discoverei that the safe hal
been blown open with powder that
had been introduced into it through
a small hole about . quarter OF an
iuch in diameter that hal been drilled
directly under the lock into the COM
bination. The door hal bsen torn
from Its hinges. and the money.
drawer priced open and its conteats
distracted. Fortunately. however,
there was only about ton dollars, It
is thought ia tht safe at the tin Q.
On looking around the room careful
lyJ bucket and o piece OF candle
were noticed OIL the floor; aud it was
evident that they had been used by
the craftsman in lieu Of q dark Ian
tern, the candle either being placed
in the bucket, ~nd the latter being
held with its mouth near the lock, or
else the candle set on the foo-. aud
the bucket turned over it. The for
mer theory is, however, more plausi
bleI as the q des Of the bucket were
burned in one or two .pl aces, AMI
some tallow drippings were found ON
them. On the floor OF tue main sales.
room were about dozen empty paste
hoard boxes, from which pocket
knives had been taken. Mr.. Pan.
cake had jus! laid in a largo supply
OF cutlery, in which were about tour
dozen fiue penknives: these. worth
about $50, were ell gone. They
RANGED in price from IS cents to
$l.50. The burglar was evidently q
good judge o: this clas, OF goods, az
lie selected only the best. lie also
treated himself TO two hats. worth
Sl.50 each; two pair gloves, so
cents p pair, and q few two-for Eve
cigars. He showed poor judgment in
regard to these articles as they were
all cheap goods. Unfortunately for
the robber, or robbers. Mr. Pancakes
goods are oil marked with letters,
both cost and selling price; but for
this, goods Of finer grade would
dou btless have been taken.
Probably the greatest loss sus-
tanned by Dir. Pancake is the damage
done to his safe, which will require
a new door. L. is thought tho rob {.
berry occurred between | and 2 o.
clock. as several persons say they
heard heavy rumbling noise a. a
bout that time L. was evidently
the work Of professional. The ex-
plosiou Jared part Of pIne OF glass
on, OF each of two Windows in the
office. Mr.. Pancake had just ia
ished, the even. ng before Tue robbery,
hitting up room on The second floor
for bis clerks to sleep iu, and they
we're to occupy IL the next nj ht. IL
Is pity this was no: done one da Y
sooner. While we are indignant that
such an outrage should have tesn
perpeirated in sbis community. and
sorry that Mr. Pancake is tue victim
OF 1t, still, In common with bis many
friends in tnis section, we congra'u-
late him upon the comparative insig ,
nificance Of his losses, and the safety
OF Lis books aud papers. Though
there is as yet no clue to the guilty
party or parties in this affair, still We
sincerely trust that the scoundse,
whose desire for getting money with.
out honestly earning IL has led him
into the commission OF crime that
might have resulted, by setting FIRE
TO his store. in the serious financial
embarrassmen; OF so upright, bonora
bic and useful citizen as /. II. e.
Pancake, may yet be brought TO jus.
tice AID have meted out TO him the
full measure OF punishment bis vii
lainy deserves. In the meantime, IL
might be we'll for otherst to take wsrn-
ng from Mr.. Pancakes misfortune,
and 10 bear in mind this fact: there
IL no burglar @Droof safe made